Parish Newsletter

Liturgical

Ezekiel 18, 25-28; Psalm 24; Philippians 2, 1-11; Matthew 21, 28-32

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: May and Ted Griffiths (Birthday Remembrances)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Syd Jones

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Family and Friends of Pat Ashcroft

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Peter John Morgan (1^st Anniversary)

 

Monday 2^nd October: Guardian Angels: Exodus 23, 20-23; Psalm 90; Matthew 18, 1-10

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: Cath Blucher (Birthday Remembrance)

1.10 pm: University Chapel: Weekly University Mass – All Welcome

 

Tuesday 3^rd October: Ferial: Zechariah 8, 20-23; Psalm 86; Luke 9, 51-56

8.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Margaret Bartlett (Birthday Remembrance)

6.30 pm: First Holy Communion 2023-24 Launch Meeting

 

Wednesday 4^th October: St Francis of Assisi: Nehemiah 2, 1-8; Psalm 136; Luke 9, 57-62

11.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Requiem Mass for Terry Carroll, late of Thackeray Towers

 

Thursday 5^th October: St Maria Faustina: Ephesians 3, 14-19; Psalm 103; Matthew 11, 25-30

10.30 am: St Werburgh’s: Danny Lunt (33^rd Birthday Remembrance)

1.00 pm: Springwood Cemetery, Allerton: Interment of Ashes for the late Pauline Barr

 

Friday 6^th October: Ferial: Baruch 1, 15-22; Psalm 78; Luke 10, 13-16

12.15 pm: St Werburgh’s: John and Vera Clyne

1.05 pm: High School: Weekly Voluntary Mass

 

Saturday 7^th October: Our Lady of the Rosary: Acts 1, 12-14; Psalm Luke 1; Luke 1, 26-38

10.30 am – 12.00 noon: St Werburgh’s: Confessions

12.30 pm: St Werburgh’s: Baptism of Thomas Enda Fairbanks

6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: John Noone (16^th Anniversary)

 

 

SUNDAY 8^th OCTOBER 2023: TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Isaiah 5, 1-7; Psalm 79; Philippians 4, 6-9; Matthew 21, 33-43

Saturday 6.00 pm: Rowton Methodists: John Noone (16^th Anniversary)

Sunday 9.00 am: St Werburgh’s: Marjorie Vickers (2^nd Anniversary)

Sunday 10.45 am: St Werburgh’s: Bob Richardson

Sunday 6.00 pm: St Werburgh’s: Agnes Curtiss (L.D., Nuneaton)

 

 

Prayer Intentions

Your prayers are asked for the following who are sick: Louise, Wendy O’Brien, Jimmy McCahy, Kath Stanton, Brian Boardman Jnr, James Convey, Bill Hackett, Laura Chadwick, Stuart Clark, Keith Hayes, Ruth O’Kane, and Kevin Maguire and for all the sick of the Parish; and for those who have died recently, especially Terry Carroll, Bridget Huber and Thomas Foster; and for all those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Celia Murphy, Patricia Gardner, Grace Wingrove, Babs Thompson, Annie Jones, Winifred Pinnington, William Dancy, Paraskivoulla Sarandis, Kathleen Vickers, William Pegna, Norman Reynolds, Maureen Michael, Betty Madden, Donagh O’Loughlin and Michelle Jennings.

May They All Rest in Peace

 

Parish Information and Contacts

SVP: svpchester@gmail.com Countess of Chester Chaplaincy: 01244 364543.
St Werburgh’s is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury: Registered Charity No 234025.
Safeguarding Reps: Liz Aiello (email: elizabeth.aiello20@btinternet.com, tel: 07813743723) and Chris Proudfoot (email: chrisproudfoot.stwerbughs@btinternet.com, tel; 07711495070)

 

Parish events

 

 

Out Now: Parish Diaries 2023-24

If you didn’t take your copy of our fantastic new Parish Diary last week, make sure you do today.

 

Parish Renewal: Improving the Physical Welcome

Making the porch a brighter and lighter space, rationalising noticeboards so that they are in the best place, not covering up other areas, and generally looking at how we can use the back of church best. There’s a Volunteers’ Notice Board in the porch, so do please check when you are next on for the various activities you’ve volunteered for.

• Children’s Art Entries due in the next two weekends, please, and do fill in our Youth Survey to give us your views.
• Welcomers: sign up for your next duty, please.
• Gardeners: doing an amazing job on Thursday afternoons. They’d love a few more willing folk to join them. Any takers?

 

Health and Safety Renewal

We’re going to be looking at this whole area in January. Meanwhile, we had a Diocesan Fire Inspection last week: we were good on all the infrastructure, mainly thanks to our excellent Fire Safety Group that worked so hard before Covid (Brian, Tony, John and Gordon). Now we need a couple of volunteers to do the regular checks on everything and sign them off in our Fire Safety Log. Anyone willing to help with that task?

 

Restoration of the Chalice and Sign of Peace

Invaluable discussions on these two points at our recent first-rate Eucharistic Ministers Review Meetings. Huge thanks to everyone for contributing their views. I’ll be talking about this key area at Mass today, and then asking your views next weekend on restoring the Chalice at Sunday Masses and going back to the physical sign of peace.

 

Healing Mass: Sunday 15^th October, 2.30 pm

“Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11).

An invitation to pray, meditate and reflect.

Stay and chat after Mass - refreshments will be provided by the SVP.

 

Ursuline Sisters Centenary and Book

The sisters who taught for many years in Chester are celebrating the centenary of the Roman Union of Ursuline Convents in England. They have written a book called " Roots and Shoots". If you would like to order a copy, please go to Ursulines - Roman Union, England (ursulinesuk.org)

 

Highlight from the High: Faith in Action Award

Over 30 students have signed up to complete the Faith in Action Award 2023/2024, a clear sign of commitment from the students to their faith by showing love and service to their neighbours. Five students are working to achieve the Silver Award. Good luck to all the students taking part!

 

Deans Meeting on Tuesday with Bishop Mark

He briefs us, we brief him, all in readiness for Deanery Conferences in October.

 

House Mass on Tues 26^th: Thanks, Lego!

Who’d like to host the next one, Tuesday 24^th October, 7.00 pm? Super start last Tuesday.

 

Webinar about Sycamore, a Tool for Evangelisation

Thursday 5^th October at 7.00 pm. The Diocese will provide the story of Sycamore, introducing the pathways, how to get started, with a walkthrough of resources. This is an opportunity to discover how to use Sycamore in your parish: natalie.orefice@dioceseofshrewsbury.org telephone: 07730 526826 or to register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/x/sycamore-webinar[1]tickets-676609335737. Online Event Page | Eventbrite

 

Migrants and Refugees: “Love the Stranger”

A new publication by the Bishops of England and Wales. It is made up of 24 Principles, well supported with pictures and short videos and published to celebrate/coincide with the Day for Migrants and Refugees, last Sunday.

 

Church Library Re-launch

Please come and join the Library Team on Monday 2^nd October for the Library re-launch 9.30-11.30 am.

 

First Holy Communion Class 2023-24:

Launch Date: Tuesday October 3^rd, 6.30 pm.

 

CathSoc Tonight

A theological debate evening: all students welcome!

 

Upcoming Concerts in St Werburgh’s and Around

• Concert by the Advent Singers at St Werburgh’s with Organ and Vocal Solos – “A Musical Journey Round  the World” – Conductor Stewart Smith, Organist Henry Smith – Friday 13^th October 7.30 pm.
• Friday 10^th November 7.45 pm at St Werburgh’s  'Music for a Remembrance and Reflection' Chester Cathedral Nave Choir will be singing a concert of Remembrance-themed music.

 

St Werburgh’s Parish History Group

Excellent launch meeting last Monday. Not too late to join us! cheshire.historian@outlook.com

 

SVP Sponsored Walk: Sunday 8^th October

Starting from the Catholic High School at 1.00 pm (parking available). 2.3 or 3.7 miles. Contact Marco on bububaba05@icloud.com  

 

Christleton Summer Teas

Huge thanks to all Werbies who baked cakes and came along last Sunday. We raised £264 for the Bangladesh Appeal Fund, bringing the total for the whole summer to over £2,000.

 

Day Chapel Refurbishment

• Open Meeting: Wednesday 11^th October, 7.00 pm
• Tidy-Up: Friday 6^th October 9.30 am.

 

Ministry of the Word (Readers) Review Meetings

• Wednesday 4^th October at 7.00 pm
• Tuesday 10^th October at 11.00 am
• Monday 23^rd October at 7.00 pm

New Readers also very warmly welcome!

 

Catholic Enquiry Course 2023-24

Launch Meeting Monday 9^th October at 7.00 pm. Do please get in touch if you’d like a chat beforehand.

 

Photo of the Week: ‘Peace Wall’ in Belfast

The Shankill Rd, a sad reminder from Chlo-Jo that the tensions in Northern Ireland are still with us.